Next time you have to mask a complex pattern, like a splinter camouflage or the “Aztec”-pattern on a spaceship hull, visit a printing shop such as Kinkos. Give them a computer drawing of the pattern and have them print it on large-format sticker paper. Cut the pieces of the pattern out with a new hobby knife blade, then peel each sticker off the backing paper and apply them to the model. You can airbrush or spray colors with ease and without the mess or residue that you have with tape or liquid mask.

This works best with matte-finish sticker paper, as paint doesn’t adhere well to the glossy kind, making it more difficult and messy to remove when you are finished.

Tip submitted by:
Josh WilderPortland, Oregon